by Callie Kanno
The apothecary clenched her eyes shut and nodded again.
“I will go first and I will tell you when to follow,” instructed the young queen.
Adesina stood and turned to face the chasm. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and took a small leap forward.
The platform was made of rock, but it was tall and thin. It shuddered slightly under her sudden weight.
“The stepping stones are a little unsteady,” she warned the others. “Try not to land on them too hard.”
Adesina moved on to the second one and then paused.
“Alright, Faryl, jump onto that first one and then wait for me to advance. Let me stay one platform ahead of you.”
Kendan gripped the older woman’s arm in a gesture of confidence. “You will be fine. Do not think about it—just go.”
With a small squeak of terror, Faryl hopped forward. Her arms flailed wildly, and she looked about to lose her balance.
“On your knees,” snapped Adesina. “Ground yourself before trying to stand.”
Faryl dropped and gripped the edges of the platform, her eyes wide with fear. The stone swayed for several moments before becoming still once more. She looked to Adesina for further instructions.
The L’avan woman moved on to the next platform, careful not to pull the rope too taut, and then gestured for Faryl to advance. Adesina felt beads of sweat forming on her brow, but not from exertion. Her heart pounded with the worry that Faryl would not be able to make it across the chasm.
Kendan and Mar’sal followed closely behind, and it seemed to be going quite well. Adesina breathed a bit easier with the knowledge that they were not in any immediate danger.
The L’avan queen jumped onto the last platform. There was only one jump left before she would be safely on the other side of the pit. She had just begun to turn toward Faryl when she felt the stone beneath her feet shift and crumble.
She scrambled to leap back to the previous platform, but she was not fast enough.
“Faryl!”
It was the only warning cry she could give as she fell.
The rope caught on the stone platform between the two women, snapping it taut and bringing Adesina to a sudden halt. The rope bit into her midsection painfully and she slammed into the pillar, badly injuring her knee. The crash of falling rock echoed from below, and the air filled with dust.
Her companions all cried out in panicked voices.
“Ma’eve!”
“Adesina!”
“Adesina!”
It took Adesina a moment to regain her breath. Her knee was searing with pain and she was unable to speak initially. As soon as she was able, she yelled, “I am here. I am alive.”
She could see Ravi standing on the edge of the chasm, his face frozen with anxiety. She concentrated on seeing through his eyes, and the situation appeared grave. Neither of them could see a way for her to get to the other side without that last platform.
The sharp throbbing of her injuries added to the frustration of the situation, and she clenched her fists in anger.
I will have to use my vyala.
Ravi was reluctant, but he agreed.
I cannot see an alternative, but please use it sparingly. You will need much strength for what lies ahead.
“I am going to use my vyala to finish crossing,” she called to the others. “When each of you get to the last standing platform, I will do the same for you.”
Adesina summoned her vyala to support her weight, pulled a small knife from her belt and used it to cut herself free from the rope. Then she used her power to float over to Ravi’s side.
When she looked back, she could see that Kendan was standing on the same platform as Faryl. He must have leapt forward to help support Adesina’s weight as she fell.
The young queen felt a rush of gratitude for Kendan’s quick thinking and trained skills. He was proving to be indispensable on their mission to rescue L’iam.
Adesina brought each of her comrades across safely, and they all sat down to rest and calm their minds. Adesina measured her personal energy with anxiety, wondering if she was using too much of her vyala for what was ahead.
Perhaps if she did not use anymore she would be fine.
“Thank you, Faryl,” said the young queen sincerely.
Faryl shook her head. “It was Kendan that kept me from falling forward. He deserves your thanks.”
“Yes, but if you had not been wary of this obstacle, we would not have been tied to each other. I would have fallen without anyone to catch me.”
The older woman gave a shaky laugh. “Well, I am glad that my fear of heights served a useful purpose.”
Adesina looked at her former teacher and gave him a warm smile of appreciation. “Thank you, Kendan, for keeping me safe.”
A flush of color touched his cheeks, and he simply nodded.
Mar’sal moved forward and gently touched Adesina’s injured knee. “You cannot walk like this. Let me heal you.”
She put a restraining hand on his arm. “No, Mar’sal. You do not have the vyala to spare right now.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I certainly do. Besides, it must be done and it is more important for you to conserve your energy for fighting Basha.”
“You are more tired that you admit,” she insisted.
“You look rather worn out as well,” Mar’sal stated drily.
It was true that Adesina was feeling tired—more tired than she should be.
Why was that?
She had been using her vyala as sparingly as possible, and she had been getting as much rest as she could. Granted, she did not sleep well under such conditions, but she had been through worse before.
Her eyes took in the faces of each of her companions.
They all looked weary and pale. Even Ravi was lower on energy than what she was accustomed to sensing.
Adesina’s brow furrowed.
Something was wrong.
She searched her mind, trying to find what it was that she couldn’t quite remember.
Her mind turned to Ravi’s, and his presence was a clarifying force that snapped everything into focus.
The third barrier.
The Henka elders had told of a shadow that drained away the life of those who passed through it. Adesina had surmised that the third barrier of the Threshold was one that siphoned away the lifeforce of those within its perimeters.
“We have to hurry,” said Adesina suddenly.
Faryl looked alarmed. “Why?”
“The elders warned us about this section of the mountain. They told us that there was a magical spell that could kill us.”
Understanding sparked in Kendan’s eyes. “A spell that would drain our lives away.”
“No wonder we are so tired,” remarked Mar’sal.
“How many more of these obstacles will we be forced to face?” asked Faryl, not expecting to be answered.
“I do not know,” responded Adesina, “but we must move as quickly as we can.”
Mar’sal leaned forward and touched Adesina’s knee with his healing vyala before she could protest. He repaired the torn tissue and strengthened the bone, making her feel better than she had before the fall.
“Mar’sal!”
He folded his arms across his chest. “You said we had to move quickly, so do not waste time reprimanding me. It is done.”
Adesina didn’t know whether to laugh or to rap him sharply on the head with her knuckles. She settled with shaking her head and climbing to her feet.
Chapter Forty-seven: Weakening
The five companions walked a short distance through an archway that led to the next section of the barrier. Adesina noticed that Mar’sal was not very steady on his feet, and she gave him a sharp look. He immediately straightened his back and attempted to look stronger.
The archway led to a ledge, and there was a short drop down to the main floor from there. This section of the barrier almost appeared to be some sort of maze. The path from the base of the le
dge wound around to a narrow entrance in a stone wall approximately the same height as Kendan. Adesina could see multiple paths diverging from the entrance, but it was not clear where they all led.
The ground was an upward incline, which limited Adesina’s view—even though she stood on a ledge two meters from the floor.
“A maze?” asked Kendan scornfully. “Is that all they could devise?”
He jumped down from where they stood and walked towards the entrance.
“Kendan, wait.”
As he slowed to a stop, his boot landed on a section of the floor that glowed orange on contact. Adesina didn’t get a clear look, but she sensed a surge of magic.
Acting on instinct, she connected to her vyala and pushed him out of the way. A bolt of fire burst from a circle on the ceiling and scorched the ground where Kendan had been standing only moments before.
“What was that?” gasped Faryl.
Kendan got to his feet, looking shocked and relieved. “I should have been more cautious. Thank you, Adesina.”
He crept back to where he had been standing and studied the ground carefully. After a moment, he shook his head.
“I do not see anything. No marks, no pressure points, no switches…”
“There was a symbol,” said Ravi, “but I did not get a good look at it.”
Adesina jumped down from the ledge and joined Kendan. He was right—the ground appeared to be empty—but something glimmered just beyond her sight.
She used her vyala to enhance her vision, and a rune suddenly appeared. Ravi was able to see it as well through her eyes, and he made a thoughtful noise.
“It is the symbol for connection. That circle on the ceiling must be a conduit of some sort.”
Adesina remembered a detail from her Dreams of the final battle that took place on this mountain. There had been a conduit on the top of the peak that allowed the Serraf Bren to transfer her energy to the Threshold from afar.
“This conduit must connect to the fire barrier outside. The runes activate the connection, and the fire flows to wherever it is directed.”
Kendan’s expression was somber. “It will take some fast reflexes to navigate this maze.”
He looked back and Mar’sal and Faryl, both of whom were pale and drawn. Adesina followed his gaze and immediately understood.
They would not be able to make it through this section, even with someone to guide them.
We cannot leave them here. The draining barrier would kill them.
Ravi studied their surroundings for several moments before nodding his head towards the ceiling. “Look up there, Ma’eve.”
About halfway between where they stood and the end of the maze, there was a small stone protuberance that was shaped like a hook.
“If you could secure your rope through that, then Faryl and Mar’sal could swing across.”
“Where would it be safe to land?”
Ravi concentrated his energy and shifted to the opposite side of the maze. After a minute or two, he spoke to Adesina’s mind.
There is another ledge on this end, and it appears to be safe. There are no runes in this space.
Adesina measured the distance with her eyes doubtfully.
I do not think our ropes are long enough.
There was a brief pause.
Fuse the two ropes together. That should make it long enough.
As Adesina undertook the task, she motioned to Kendan.
“We could use that stone projection and have them swing across to the other side.”
He pursed his lips together. “Not with the ground at an incline. Ravi’s position is above ours, and standing on the entrance ledge would not be high enough. Someone would need to be at the other side with another rope to pull them up.”
Adesina sighed in frustration. “Well, that will be our task, then.”
She used her power to meld the two ropes together as if they had always been a single line, and then she re-coiled it and slung it over her shoulder. Then she called up to Faryl and Mar’sal, who were waiting for instructions.
“You two wait here while we meet up with Ravi. We will find a way to help you both across without having to navigate that maze.”
Adesina took the lead, and together she and Kendan entered the obstacle.
The walls were lower on the inside, and Adesina could see over the top of them. She was not able to see the path she needed to take, but she would be able to spot Kendan if they were to be separated.
“It would not be difficult to climb on top of these walls,” mused Kendan.
Adesina nodded. “Which leads me to believe that there are runes to prevent that from happening.”
“Would you care to test that theory?”
She considered it for a moment. “Yes, we might as well. Perhaps we will get lucky and discover a shortcut.”
He offered his hand, and she stepped into it to climb up. As soon as her hand touched the top of the wall, she sensed another surge of magic. Adesina immediately dropped down and backed away from the wall, pulling Kendan with her.
Flames flowed along the top of the wall like a river, and the heat was intense enough that Adesina automatically shielded her face.
“Well,” said Kendan slowly, “I suppose that means we shall have to do this the hard way.”
The two of them began making their way through the maze of stone. They moved quickly and efficiently, reasoning together the best way to reach the opposite end. The runes that activated the bolts of flame almost seemed to glimmer just beyond Adesina’s range of sight, and she learned to watch for them and step carefully around.
Her focus was on the ground, where she assumed all of the runes were located. However, about halfway through the maze, Adesina brushed against a wall and a rune glowed orange from the touch. Kendan rushed forward to push her out of the way, but he could not dodge the fiery dart himself.
His sleeve caught fire, and he immediately dropped to the ground to put it out.
“Kendan!”
Adesina rushed to his side and inspected his arm. The skin was shiny and red, with large blisters forming quickly. “You are hurt,” she said unnecessarily.
His jaw was clenched, but he shook his head. “Only the skin is damaged, not the muscle underneath. I will be fine.”
She could tell that he was in pain, but she pretended to believe that he wasn’t. Adesina tore off his other sleeve and ripped it into strips to bind his wound. She was glad that he had not been more severely wounded, but she also felt a sense of helpless frustration. Kendan would be limited by the injury, and that left Adesina with even less help in rescuing L’iam.
“Ma’eve,” called Ravi from above, “I can see the exit from where I stand. You are almost there.”
She closed her eyes and focused on what her guardian was seeing. She mapped out the route in her mind and then got to her feet.
The two former Shimat wove in and out of the passages, keeping a careful distance from the walls. The exit opened to a wide area, and Ravi’s position was just to the left and up a steep incline.
Adesina breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that they had reached the end of the obstacle. She hurried to Ravi’s side and proceeded with the next stage of their plan to bring Mar’sal and Faryl across the maze.
Adesina tied a loop into the rope she carried and she took careful aim. She hurled the line towards the rocky protuberance near the ceiling, and she hooked it on her first try.
“Good,” said Kendan with approval.
He was still treating Adesina like a student, and she smiled.
“I will swing across to test it, and then I will help Faryl and Mar’sal to cross.”
Ravi looked uncomfortable with her declared plan, but he said nothing. Kendan nodded in agreement and pulled out his Blood Weapon—twenty feet of steel braid with a dagger on one end and a lemon-sized metal ball on the other.
“I will reel them in,” he stated with confidence.
Adesina wrapped the rope around h
er arm to increase the strength of her hold, and then she took a running leap over the deadly maze. The rope slipped slightly as it tightened its hold on the outcropping on the ceiling, and Adesina’s heart rushed with anxiety at the motion.
The rope was barely long enough for Adesina to reach her destination, and Faryl reached out to grab the young queen and steady her landing.
A quick glance at the two waiting companions told Adesina that they were running out of time. Mar’sal was very pale, and he was beginning to tremble with the mere exertion of standing.
“You first, Mar’sal.”
He took a step backward. “Absolutely not, Adesina. I will go last.”
“You are being a fool,” she snapped impatiently. “Do as I say.”
His expression clearly showed that he was surprised and hurt by her words, but he offered no other argument. Adesina tied the end of the rope around his wrist and used her vyala to boost him into the air.
Mar’sal held onto the rope with all his might, but Adesina was afraid that he was going to fall. Her heart leapt to her throat as she watched him, and she only took a breath when Kendan’s meteor hammer swung outward and hooked around Mar’sal’s waist.
Holding both ends of the steel braid, Kendan pulled the L’avan soldier to safety.
Faryl’s face was filled with fear when it was her turn. “Adrie, I…”
Adesina stopped her from saying anything else. “It must be done, Faryl, and quickly. We do not have time to hesitate.”
The apothecary did as she was told, but Adesina could see her lips moving in recital of a silent prayer.
Faryl crossed over the obstacle without incident, and Adesina followed. As Kendan drew her in, she could see the strained expression on his face that indicated he was focusing intensely on not revealing what he was feeling. In spite of that determination, his features were pale and a sheen of sweat covered his forehead.
He reached out his hand to grasp her own, and he flinched as he pulled her to solid ground. Adesina’s eyes instantly locked on his burned arm, and she could see that he was bleeding.
“Faryl,” she beckoned to the apothecary.
Kendan looked as though he was about to protest, but Adesina silenced him with a glare.
